Page 62 - Southern Oregon Magazine Winter 2019

the good life | adventure

Tom now owns and operates a thriving commer-
cial guide and youth facilitation program based
in the Rogue Valley that offers both wilderness
and ongoing programs for teens, adult trips and
custom family expeditions worldwide. He and
the seasoned staff of IGE bring something truly
unique to the place where personal growth and
adventure intersect.

Like too many others, Tom was bullied in school,
and found comfort and community in a youth
group in high school, which he would later real-
ize sparked the foundation for the model of his
programs. “It was a place where I felt seen, appre-
ciated, and where I could just go and be myself in
a supportive atmosphere that brought new ideas,”
says Tom. “It inspired lifelong friendships and
irreplaceable confidence.” Programs like this one
and Inner Guide Expeditions, founded in 2012,
facilitate lasting friendships and bonds through
shared experiences with peers. “At the core, we
create a safe place for kids to be themselves. It’s an
answer to the world of electronics, screens, and a
learned belief that we should be something other
than what we already are in order to be okay.

60 www.southernoregonmagazine.com | winter 2019